Cylindrical wooden billet sawing apparatus



CYLINDRICAL WOODEN B Filed May 20, 1950 ILLET SAWING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheei'I l WIT-Tannn J. S. KAKUK ET AL June 8, 1954 CYLINDRICAL WOODEN BILLET SAWING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2A Filed May 20, 1950 Patented June 8,w 1954 CYLINDRICAL WOODEN BILLET SAWING; APPARATUS Joseph S. Kakukxand Stephenl. Kakuk,

Stephenson, Mich. ApplicationMay 20, 1950; SeriaNo.

2 ClaimS; l.

'I-'he present invention ments inv the constructionv chines forsawing cylindrical billets from blocks of wood; or thelike.

A primary object ofthe invention is to provide an improved billet sawing apparatus which is simple, compact andV durable yin construction and which is moreover highly ecient and automatic in operation.

In the manufacture of cylindrical billets from large blocks of wood or thelike', it has heretofore been common practice to first saw the block into a plurality of smaller polygonal shaped sections with' theaid of an ordinary'v circular or band saw orD other power operated sawing device and to thereafter shape the polygonal sections thus produced into cylindrical blocks or billets. with the aid" of a lathe or the like. This process is extremely time consuming and tedious as, well as expensive and wasteful'V for the "following, reasons. First; theV process requires two entirely separate operations, namely;` an initial sawing operation in which theM large. block must be repositioned onn and: tied' to the saw table several. times andi manually fed' to: the saw in each instanceito produce th'ef'several sections, and a subsequent lathey operation in: which each polygonal'section must be individually 'shaped to; cylindrical formation. by removal' ofV the excessv material. In additionto the several time-consuming operations required inthe customary billet production method; there is considerable resultant waste ofthe materia-l from which the cylindrical' billets are producedYA since it is necessary to initially saw the. sections in Wedge-shaped formation and toY sub.- Sequently saw thevr wedge-shaped pieces into smaller polygonal sections before performing the lathe operations. Thereforathe number of cylindrical billets obtainable from each of the original' sections is obviously limited, andi furthermore each of the subsequent pieces must be of sulicient size to insure production of the billets of,` the desired diameter'and. excess stock is therefore ordinarily providedv for suchpurpose.

It is thereforel a` more specific object` of; our,K

present invention toy provide animprovedapparatus for producing cylindrical` billets which obviates the disadvantages and' objections attend ant prior devices intendedA for such purposes.

Another specific object ofi this invention` is. to'

provide an improvedmachine for producing cylinreduces waste from relatively large `blocks which. to a minimum and` which entirely automatic in operation.

Another specic object of our. invention is to provide an improved billet sawing apparatus wherein extremely large and heavy blocks may handled with ofi-center cuts with the aid of a novel work holder andV positioning member.

Still another specic objectv of ourpresent'in- Vention 1s to provide an and which may be operated tol rapidly produce cylindrical billets from large bulky blocks in a safe and economical manner:

A further specic` object of the present invention is to provide an improved unitary assemblage A clear conceptiony of thelseveralfeaturesconstitutirrg.` our present improvement and of the:- mode of constructing andof operating billetsawing apparatus built in accordance with this; in-

'.fentionY may be had' by referring to the drawingsr accompanyingand forming apart of this speciications wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in theseveral views.

Fig; l' isa perspective view of one ofV our improved; machines showing to startingpositlon after with the mainblocli swung away from the saw;

Fig; 2 is a side View of the apparatusin operation with the Vsaw partiallyA penetrating the wood block which is shown reveal the operation;

the' saw being`A retracted 'completion of a cut'and:

in section to more clearlyrv Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the improved cylindrical saw;

Fig. 4 is a section through the supporting column taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through a somewhat modified drive shaft and saw; and

Fig. 6 (Sheet l) is a top view of la wood block from which several billets have been cut.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as being specifically applied to a vertical machine embodying hydraulic controls and having a single supporting column for the saw and motor carrier, it is not desired or intended to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the improvement; and it is also contemplated that specific descriptive terms used herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the typical mproved billet sawing apparatus shown in Figs. l through 4 comprises, in general, a support or vertical column Ii, a saw carrier or carriage II movable along the support I0, a hollow cylindrical saw I2 rotatably mounted on the carriage II for movement therewith, the saw i2 having its aXis parallel to the direction of movement, and means including a pair of relatively movable jaws I3, I4 for clamping and positioning a block I5 of wood or the like to be sawed in the path of movement of the saw I2.

To guide the upper carriage I I in its movement and prevent it from rotating about the column I5, a guide flange or key I5 may be provided on the column; and the carriage II may be raised or elevated to a predetermined starting position by means of a hydraulic ram consisting of a cylinder I1 and plunger I8, the cylinder I'I being conveniently mounted on the column ill by means of a suitable bracket i9. The hollow cylindrical saw I2 is preferably carried by a drive shaft 22 journalled for rotation in bearings 23 and having one ormore sheaves 24 thereon; and a motor 25 for driving the saw may likewise be conveniently mounted on the carriage II by means of suitable brackets 25, the motor shaft 21 having sheaves 28 adapted to receive belts 29 which also coact with the sheaves 24. If desired, the actuating fluid for the hydraulic system may be pumped from a reservoir 38 by a suitable pump 3I also driven with the saw shaft 22 through sheaves 32, 33 and belt or belts 34; and the various sheaves 24, 28, 32 and 33 and belts 29 and 34 may be protectively housed in a casing 35 or the like.

The clamp for clamping and positioning the block to be sawed in the path of movement of the saw I2 comprises a pair of jaws I3, I4, the arms 3E, 3i respectively of which are preferably mounted on the column I0 for movement of the jaws relative to each other; and as shown, these arms 35, 37 may be respectively pivotally mounted as at 3S, 33 on stationary brackets 40, 4I respectively which may be rendered adjustable along the column Il if desired, with` a hydraulic ram consisting of a plunger 42 and cylinder 43 pivotally attached to the arms 36, 31 respectively remote from the jaws. The jaws I3, I4 are preferably pivotally mounted as at'45, 41 respectively on the respective arms 33, 3l to permit automatic seating on the opposite faces of the block i5, the jaws i3, Iii being resiliently restrained against swinging motion by rods 48, I49 and springs 56, 5i respectively. To compensate for the downward pressure of the saw I2 during the cutting operation, the lower jaw i4 and its arm 31 are constantly resiliently urged upwardly and toward the saw I2 by a compression spring 52 which may be carried by a suitable bracket 53 also conveniently adjustably mounted on the column I3; and this resilient mounting also acts as a compensator in the event any obstructions are hit during the sawing operation. The jaws I3, I4 are also preferably of annular formation of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the saw i2 so as to guide the saw in its movement during the cutting operation when disposed in axial alinement therewith, and these jaws are also preferably formed with teeth for more firmly clamping the block I5 therebetween.

To hold the block i5 for swinging movement into and out of the path of movement of the saw I2 and into position for positive clamping by the jaws I3, I4, means such as a swinging chuck 54 is provided. This work holding chuck 5d comprises an upright support or auxiliary column 55 having a clamping member with a pair of laterally projecting arms 55, 5'! swingably mounted thereon. The arms 55, 51 carry outer clamping jaws in the form of hydraulic rams 58, 5S respectively, these rams likewise each consisting of a cylinder and plunger. As indicated, the clamping member or frame with its arms 55, 5l is swingable about the column 55 and the block I5 is likewise swingable about the axes of the jaws 5S, 59 so that this block I5 may be swung to any position between the jaws i3, I4 in the path of movement of the saw i2. To provide a unitary structure, the columns Il, 55 may be supported by a common base 30 and project upwardly from the base parallel to each other. To actuate the various rams by means of liquid conducted from the reservoir 33 through hoses 5I, suitable controls 62 may be provided and the uid under pressure is conducted to the cylinders of the several rams through flexible tubing E2- Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 5, suitable pusher means for positively ejecting the billets sawed upon completion of the cut may be provided. In this modification, the saw I2 is carried by a hollow shaft 22' provided with belt receiving sheaves 24', 32', the shaft being journalled for rotation in bearings 23'. The upper bearing 23' is preferably surrounded by a cage 63, and this bearing is also provided with guide holes or apertures 61 for slidably receiving rods vB8 which are embraced by tension springs 69 attached at one end to the cage 6E or upper bearing and at the other end to an end head secured to the rods 68, the end head 1E! also carrying a central pusher rod 1I which depends therefrom through the hollow shaft and, coaxially within the saw l2'. In use of this modified device, the pusher rod 'II is constantly resiliently urged downwardly to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 by the action of the springs 69 to constantly urge the billet being sawed axially out of the cylindrical saw, the rods 68, 1I, springs 69 and the end head 'iii rising axially, as shown in dot-and-dash lines, as the saw I2 performs its work of cutting cylindrical billets 'I2 from the block I5; and when the saw reaches completion of its cut, the billet is automatically positively ejected therefrom by the rod I I.

In operation of the improved device, the block I5 to be sawed is rst positioned between the jaws 58, 59 either centrally thereof or off center as shown in Fig. 1 and the jaws 53, 59 are then closed by huid pressure upon actuation of the proper control 62. With the saw I2 raised to its starting position and the jaws I3, I4 swung to open position, the block l5 is position between thus positioned, are actuated about their respective pivots 38, 59 by means of hydraulic luid conducted to the cylinder 43 in response to the proper control 62, the jaws I 3, l 4 to positively clamp the work l5 in position within the path of the saw.

By virtue of drical billets may be in a, single operation minimum. As hereinbefore indicated, the swinging chuck 54 permits almost universal positioning of the work without need for repeatedly manually 11e-positioning and securing the work, and

lli positively clamp practically no waste zo f instead of hydraulically. Devices produced in accordance with our invention have proven highly successful and satisfactory in actual commercial use.

It should be understood that it is not desired or intended to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the 1. 'Billet sawing apparatus comprising, a main support, a saw carrier movable vertically along said main support, a hollow cylindrical saw rotatably mounted on said carrier for vertical movement thereof, and work means disposed laterally of said saw means including gated vertical post extending parallel to the direotion of movement of said saw and a pair of spaced arms extending laterally from and supported by said post for swinging movement about the vertical thereof, said arms having cooperating axially alined pivot jaws at the free outer ends thereof for clamping a bloc-l: to bc sawed therebetween whereby tl e block may be swung about said post and about said jaws to any desired position within the path of said saw. 2. Billet sawing apparatus comprising, a mai support, a saw carrier movable vertically along said main support, a hollow cylindrical saw ro.- tatably mounted on said carrier for vertical movement therewith and having its axis parallel to the direction oi movement thereof, work supporting means disposed laterally of said saw entirely out of the path of movement thereof, said supporting means including a pair of spaced swingably supported and laterally extending arms having cooperating axially alined pivot jaws at the free ends thereof for clamping a block to be sawed therebetween whereby the block may be References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Sheppard Farnum Koons Little Wood Onsrud Onsrud Kent Telles Gonzalez FOREIGN PATENTS Country Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain Germany Number Date Apr. 11, 1905 Oct. 17, 1905 Sept. l, 1914 Aug. 17, 1915 Apr. 24, 1928 Sept. 25, 1928 Sept. 25, 1928 June 13, 1944 Oct. 21, 1947 Feb. 7, 1950 Number Date July 17, 1854 Feb. 28, 1895 July 21, 1899 Feb. 12, 1931 

